Display attachment for electric light bulbs



Sept. 22, 1953 D. c. OBER ,653

DISPLAY ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT BULBS Filed April 1, 1952 INVENTOR, flea]? C. Obe! Y wwmulm Patented Sept. 22, 1953 DISPLAY A'rmcnMENgmonfEm-mrmc 'LIGHTBULBS DeanObefiEast Cleveland, 0M0 iAp'p lication April 1, 1952, Serial No. 279,770

e 1 This' invention is an ornamental er display device for attachment tjo" eiectric light bulbs, especially those used." on Christmas trees, and its 'prin iary purpose is "to provide-an attractive device of this kind -that 'is simple off construc tioh; that iisinexpensive'; that is substantial and durable for a device of its class; thatis convenient ofuse, and-that safev Amorellimited object istoflprovide a decoratiye or' display. attachment for velectric light bulbs that, to a cchsiderable measure prOtects the bulb against breakage andv prevents engagement of the'bulb with objectslthat might ignite, irom prolonged contact w'ithiahot bulb; a d'that prevents contacts of tinsel, and ornaments or other objects or conductive material, with the electrical connections or a socket to which the bulb is'attaehee thereby" to safeguard against short c ircuits Another object of the"invention is to provide theattachinentwith suspension means by which it may be connected to a Christmas tree branch or etheri support and thereby, in turn, solely support the electric ilig'htibulb and "socket This feature facilitates the trimming of a ltree, and, when many or all of the lights uarethus supr parted, imparts a pleasing effect of v uniformity arn'chg'the lights. M

Another object "is to vprovideuan ornamental ori displa'y device for direct attachment. than electric Ii'hjt bulb and which iss'o constructed of blanks "of relatively thin sheet material that onlyedge contact "is made between the bulb and the attachment. r i

n further and more specific object of the inventio'n'is to prbvidefan Ornamental attachment for electric "light "bulbs that is constructed; from three identical, preferably star-shaped blanks" of relatively thin sheet 1 material, each having a central opening, "and'thatare assembledlabout a-centr'al axis with thelater'al edge portions of each blank infaceccnta'ct "and exact registration with the lateral, 'ed'g'ebo'rtio'ris of the other two blanks, andfsothat the'light'ibulb of appropriate size and-shape may be inserted in the spaceprovided bythe' "openings of the three blanks, the blanks being suitably secured tbg'ether land ccated'with :a decorative :and desirably l-light -refleeting "and/or fireproof material; to the end that the 'attachmentpresents a similar appearahee and pleasing effect :from man viewing? angles.

- In the'aeecmpany'ihg drawing which :forms a ar e s FI'g. "1 -is-a perspectiveviewshowihg the'p'resent from thin sheet material, such as a relatively stifi",, durable. cardboard; The attachment is designated generally by the reference letter A, and each of the three j blan'ks. fromwhich ite is constructed is" designated YBr Each blanln as best shown in Fig. '3, has a central opening bf, that is of a size and shape'correspondin'g, substantially, to the profile or an "electric light bulb wherewith' the attachment is. intended. .for I use;

and a slitb extends fromsthe .baseof saidlopen ing' tofthecehter of the notch that'senarates the lower points'or the blank; 7 V

Preparatory to assembling the attachment,

each blank is bent or folded along itsjcentral.

vertical axis, represented .by aline b :ir'i Eig. Q3, scrasitoflui'spcse the two halves fifihe blank; .atan angle'jofsubstantially 120 'tok'each fathers Also, the adjacerit'fhalveslof the slower points ofthe blank iare deflected in the same, vdirection fi'bfif'the" plane of'their other halves along "the central axes 'cif said points, represented b'ythe lines (12 'Byreason or the formation thusim-.

parted to the blank, the portions on opposite sides ofthe slit "b are caused to overlap, .a sri'ndilcated in Figs. 1 and 2, and they'are held'uin this condition by suitableiasteninzlmeansflas a staple C.

With the biank'si 'B' pre-shaped as above .de-

scribed, they are assembled "about van with the reverse side of each half. of each blank in surface ecntact with the corresponding .s'i'de oi a half of each of the other'blanks'.'this arrangementbein'gclearly illustrated in Figs. 1 'andi'z.

With the *contiguous edges .of the assembled blank-s in exactregistrationwith each I othergthe blanks are secured together by suitable means;

such as-stapleslj. a

' During the assembling of the device, .the ends of a loop Eof cord of wirearelengag ed between the blanks at the .ape'xrof "the attachment and are desirably caught by one of the staples D;

Fig. 13 e' is an elevational viewlofone or. the

tion of the deflected portions of the lower points of the blanks, and the deflection of said portions provides space for the plug of thelight bulband the adjacent end of a socket. It is also clear from Fig. 2 that contact between the attachment and thereof is deflected outwardly to provide space at the bottom of the attachment to accommodate the plu of a light bulb and the adjacent end of a socket applied thereto.

4. An attachment according to claim 1, wherein the portion of each blank below the opening thereof is provided with a slit extending from said opening to the adjacent bottom edge of the blank, and the adjoining edge portions of the blank that are separated by said'slit being overlapped so as to deflect the surrounding area of the blank and thereby provide space at the bottom of the attachment to accommodate the plug of alight bulb andthe adjacent end of a socket applied thereto, and means for securing said edge portions in overlapped condition.

the light bulb is confined to the edges of the blanks that define the openings 1). After the attachment is assembled, it may be coated, as by dipping, brushing or spraying with a suitable paint or similar substance, desirably of a non-inflammable nature,'and while said sub stance is in a-tacky condition, a suitable decorativematerial may be sprinkled or deposited upon the obverse or "exposed surfaces'cf the blanks. Said material mayv consist of v flaked "mica, small glass'beads; aluminum powder, or the like, preferably having a light reflecting quality so that it will pickup and reflect the clear or colored rays of light from the bulb F. I

- 'In applying'the attachmentto a bulb, the bulb is'inserted by first projecting the plug of the bulb through one ofthe openings b and downwardly into the spaceprovided by the deflected portions of the blanks, the blanks yielding enough to permit the bulbjto be'arranged' snugly within the spaceprovided by said openings and wherein it is held firmly'by the adjacent edges of the blanks. When the device'issuspendedfrom a branch of a Christmas tree or other support by means of the loop E, the device,"in turn, willsup port the bulb and socket without the'jlatter having to be attached to" any other support. In caseof preference, the socket may be attached tothe branch of a Christmas tree in the usual manner, and the bulb, with the attachment applied thereto, connected to the socket. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

* 1-. An attachment for electric light bulbs comprising a plurality of at least threeblanks of, sheet material, each blank having an opening midway between its lateral edges of .asize and shape corresponding to the profile, of, a bulb of the kind wherewith the attachment is intended for use, said blank being folded along its .vertical center to'dispose its halves at an angle to each other, the blanks being assembled about an axis with the reverse surfaces, of the halves of each blank in face contact, respectively, with the correspondin surfaces of halves of two other blanks and so that the openings of the blanks'merge to provide aspace for the reception of a bulb of the aforesaid kind, and means securing the blanks together in assembled condition and in fixed re lationto one another. I r

2 The'combination and arrangement of parts defined by claim 1 wherein, said means for securing the blanks together consist of fasteners extended through the contacting portions of the blanks; and a relatively thick coating of decorative material applied to the obverse sides of the blanks and concealing said fasteners.

3. An attachment according to claiml, wherein the portion of each blankbelow the opening 5. An attachment for electric light bulbs comprising a plurality of at least three blanks of sheet materiaheach blank having an opening midway between its lateral edges-of a size and shape corresponding to the profile of a bulb of the, kind Wherewith the attachment is intended for use. said blank being folded along its vertical center to dispose its halves at an angle toeach other, the blanksbeing assembled about an axis with the reverse surfaces of the, halves of each blank in face contact, respectively, with the correspond ing surfaces of halves of 'two other blanks and so that the openings of the blanks merge to provide a space for thefrecept'ion of a bulbof the aforesaid kind, fasteners extending through the contacting portions of adjacent blanks for securing'the blanks togetherin assembled condition and in fixed relation to one anotherjand suspension means having a part disposed between two of the blanks and held in place by an adjacent fastener.

6. An attachment for electric light bulbs com prising three identical blanks of sheet material,

each blank having an opening midway between its lateral edges of asize and shape corresponding to the profileof a bulb of the kind Wherewith the attachment is designed' for use, said blank being folded along its central axis andthej areas on opposite sides of said axis being disposed at an angle to'each other of approximately the three blanks being assembled about a central axis with'the reverse surface of each half of each blank in face contact with the corresponding surface of a half of one of the otherblanks, and

means securing the blanks together in assembled condition'and in fixed relation to one another.

'7. An attachment for 'ele'ctriclight bulbs comprising three identical blanks of sheet material, each blank having an opening midway between its lateral edges of a size and shape corresponding to the profile of a bulb of the kind wherewith the attachment is designed for use, said blank being folded along its central axis and the areas on opposite sides of said axisbeing disposed at an angle to each other of approximately 120, the. three blanks being assembled about a centrall prising three identical five-point star-shaped,

blanks, each blank having a central opening of a 5 size and shape corresponding to the profile of a bulb of the kind wherewith the attachment is designed for use, the central axis of said opening coinciding with the central axis of the blank, and the latter axis extending from the apex of the top point of the blank to the center of the notch opposite said point, said blank having a slit connecting said notch with the base of the opening, and the blank being folded along its central axis so as to dispose the areas on the opposite sides of said axis at an angle to each other of approximately 120, the points of the blank on opposite sides of the aforesaid notch being folded along their central axes to dispose their near halves at a substantial angle to their remote halves, the edge portions of the blank along opposite sides of said slit being overlapped, means securing said edge portions together in overlapped relation, the three blanks being assembled about a central axis with the reverse surface of each half of each blank in surface contact with the corresponding surface of a half of one of the other blanks, and means securing the blanks together in assembled condition.

DEAN C. OBER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,435,024 Shapiro Nov. 7, 1922 1,695,307 Wilson Dec. 18, 1928 1,784,474 Wilson Dec. 9, 1930 2,333,162 Eddy Nov. 2, 1943 

